Five people have died and 87 remain unaccounted for after a passenger ferry caught fire near a popular tourist destination in the Philippines. The coastguard has confirmed the fatalities as search and rescue operations continue.
Vessel carried 134 people
The MV June Aster was carrying 134 people – 117 passengers and 17 crew members – and was bound for Coron when the blaze broke out.
Coastguard Captain Noemi Cayabyab told a local radio station: "Based on the data we have right now on rescued (42) and the casualties, we still have 87 people who are unaccounted for. Just to make it clear, this is live data and may change as our search and rescue operations are ongoing."
Rescue and weather challenges
Cayabyab confirmed that 38 passengers and four crew members were rescued. The vessel caught fire 1.2 nautical miles from Barangay Marcilla, and the blaze was reported at approximately 6.45pm while the ferry was travelling from Manila, the country's capital.
The coastguard continues to fight the flames and search the surrounding area, but has confirmed that weather conditions have hindered these efforts.
A spokesperson said: "The weather [last night] was poor, and the waves in the area were strong. Reports from our vessel indicate strong currents in the area," he said, noting that the vessel had drifted from its initial distress location – four nautical miles off Barangay Turda – to a point 7.68 nautical miles away. "It has been carried further out by the current. These are the challenges our personnel are facing in the search area."
